Takomablog

Takoma Park Mayor Kathy Porter appeared on the Tucker Carlson show on MSNBC last night. He clearly invited her on to ridicule Takoma Park for its resolution to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Mayor Porter was unruffled throughout, and kept to her clear message that Americans have a right to petition their government.

Carlson appeared unprepared. For example, he brought up the Nuclear Free Zone designation to suggest that Takoma Park is a "parody" of a liberal town. But he didn't seem to know what the NFZ designation meant. At one point he said that the city of Takoma Park prohibits businesses in town from doing business with the nuclear industry. Not true. I think that there's room for discussion over the Nuclear Free Zone, but it should be informed.

Carlson seemed to just go with stream of conscious discussion points. For example: "Some years ago, when Takoma Park declared itself a nuclear free zone, there was some concern that Takoma Park was going to create an army or a militia or something and, kind of, strike out on its own. Is that—in the cards?" Kathy Porter's reply? "No."

At the end of the segment, Carlson questioned Porter on the "fairness" of the Speaker of the House taking the Presidency in the event of a successful impeachment. Mayor Porter: "Well, it's in the Constitution. I didn't make that decision."

Here's the link: http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??f=00&g=d4c3c496-7c9d-47b2-99f6-75fc7ffdb9f2&p=news_top_politics&t=c1152&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8063292/&fg=

Posted by blogpop at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is a brand new feature on the Voice site, a general area to discuss issues specific to Takoma Park. Unfortunately, I can't match Gilbert for wit, so be sure to also check out our other Takoma Voiceblog, Granola Park.

The obvious place to begin is with Monday night's unanimous vote in favor of impeaching President George W. Bush and Vice President Cheney.

The crowd that filled the council chambers for the resolution seems to be nearly—if not completely—in support of the city measure. Most people I talk to and e-mail to about this agree with the city council. Some feel that this will help embolden Chris Van Hollen to support the Kucinich impeachment bill (directed at Dick Cheney)

Yet, I do hear from those who find it frivolous or amusing. Others are angry that the city is wasting time on this. And then there are those who think that talk of impeachment itself is either fanciful or dangerous.

I realize that we do not yet have a lot of traffic here, but if you have found this new blog, I am interested in your views on the city council vote for impeaching Bush and Cheney. Just click the comment field below (Please be aware that you can post anonymously.)

Also: let me know about other threads you'd like to see here. For example, rent stabilization is a perennial hot topic, and is currently bubbling on the stove. If you have any thoughts on other topics or would like to submit a short blog entry for consideration, email me: eric@takoma.com

— Eric Bond, editor

Posted by blogpop at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From City Clerk Jessie Carpenter:

AGENDA

6:00 PROPOSED CLOSED SESSION: To receive legal advice related to the interplay between the City's Sanctuary City Law and the inclusion of federal immigration warrants on the National Crime Information Database (pursuant to Annotated Code of Maryland, State Government Article, § 10-508(a)(7)). The Council is scheduled to reconvene in open session at 7:30 p.m.

7:30 CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL, COUNCIL COMMENTS, ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (Opportunity to comment on items that are not the subject of the Public Hearing)

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

7:50 PRESENTATION: Proposed Revisions to Rent Stabilization

8:10 PUBLIC HEARING: Proposed Revisions to Rent Stabilization

8:40 BREAK: Scheduled 10-minute recess. (NOTE: The time of the break will vary and may not be at the specified point in the order of the agenda if the Council's discussion is moving ahead of or behind schedule.)

8:50 WORKSESSION: Discussion of Proposed Revisions to Rent Stabilization

10:00 ADJOURN

Future meetings listed after the jump below

ROLLING AGENDA
(Future Council Agendas are Tentative Only - Items are Subject to Change)

TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2007 - Meeting of the Safe Roadways Committee, 7:00 p.m. (Community Center Hydrangea Room)

MONDAY, JULY 23, 2007 - Administrative Function Session to Conduct the City Manager's Evaluation (6:00 p.m., 3rd Floor Council Conference Room).

MONDAY, JULY 23, 2007 - REGULAR MEETING AND WORKSESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, 7:30 p.m. (Community Center Auditorium)

Regular Meeting:
- (tentative) Resolution Petitioning for the Impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney

Regular Meeting:
- (tentative) First Reading Ordinance Revising Rent Stabilization
- (tentative) Resolution Providing for Appointments to the Arts and Humanities Commission
- (tentative) Resolution Providing for Appointments to the Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs
- (tentative) Resolution Providing for Appointments to the Safe Roadways Committee

Presentation:
- (tentative) Discussion of Auditorium Renovation Proposals

Worksession:
- (tentative) Discussion of 2007 City Election

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2007 - Meeting of the Arts and Humanities Commission, 7:30 p.m. (Community Center Hydrangea Room)

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2007 - Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs Hearing (Southern Management Hardship Petition Appeal), 7:00 p.m. (Community Center Auditorium)

THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2007 - Meeting of the Emergency Preparedness Committee, 8:30 a.m. (Community Center Hydrangea Room)

MONDAY, JULY 30, 2007 - Administrative Function Session to Conduct the City Manager's Evaluation (6:00 p.m., 3rd Floor Council Conference Room)

MONDAY, JULY 30, 2007 - SPECIAL SESSION AND WORKSESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, 7:30 p.m. (Community Center Auditorium)

Special Session:
- (tentative) Single Reading Ordinance Authorizing the Lease / Purchase of Five Police Vehicles
- (tentative) Second Reading Ordinance Revising Rent Stabilization
- (tentative) Resolution Commenting on the Inter-County Connector (ICC)
- (tentative) Single Reading Ordinance Authorizing Purchase of a Replacement Boiler for the Municipal Building
- (tentative) Single Reading Ordinance Authorizing the Purchase of Automated External Defibrillators for City Facilities
- (tentative) Resolution Setting Forth the Council‚s Summer Recess

Worksession:
- (tentative) Continued Discussion of City Committees
- (tentative) City Manager's Quarterly Report

TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2007 - Meeting of the Board of Elections, 7:00 p.m. (Community Center Azalea Room)

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2007 - Meeting of the Health Services Impact Committee, 7:00 p.m. (Community Center Hydrangea Room)

TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2007 - Meeting of the Tree Commission, 6:30 p.m. (Community Center Atrium Room)

TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2007 - Meeting of the Committee on the Environment, 7:30 p.m. (Community Center Forsythia Room)

Jessie Carpenter, City Clerk

City of Takoma Park
7500 Maple Avenue
Takoma Park, MD 20912
Phone: 301-891-7267
Fax: 301-270-8794
JessieC@takomagov.org
www.takomaparkmd.gov

Posted by blogpop at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)